The human skin performs many functions. The most important function is the barrier function of protecting the body from outside. A wound is a state where the normal structure of the skin that performs the barrier function is damaged. If the skin is damaged, the wound site may be invaded by pathogens as it is exposed to outside. Accordingly, quick wound healing is necessary to prevent further infection and excessive inflammation resulting therefrom. Excessive inflammation not only slows wound healing but also leaves scars.
Wound healing refers complete suture of the skin clinically. General wound except chronic wound heals completely approximately in 3-14 days. Wound healing is a complicated process wherein various types of cells such as keratinocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, macrophages, platelets, etc, interact with each other.
At present, Dongkook Pharmaceutical's ‘Madecassol’ (marketed since 1985) and Dong Wha Pharm's ‘Fucidin’ (marketed since 1980) are available as wound care drugs in Korea. The two drugs are generally similar in efficacy, but Fucidin has a better advantage in antibacterial activity and Madecassol has a better advantage in reducing scars.
Although the existing steroid ointment is effective in reducing inflammation, suppressing immunity and treating allergic diseases, it may cause unwanted pockmarks, skin wrinkles, folliculitis, etc. and is ineffective for fungal diseases such as athlete's foot. Meanwhile, an antibiotic-containing ointment has the resistance problem and may cause many side effects when used for wound on children's soft skin. Thus, wound care drugs based on the wound healing mechanism are entering the Korean market to overcome the limitations of the steroid and antibiotic ointments. Also, injuries more severe than minor skin wounds, deep wounds occurring after surgery of skin diseases such as melanoma, wounds associated with other diseases such as diabetes, or the like require longer time for healing and often leave scars. Daewoong Pharmaceutical marketed a wound care drug ‘Easyef ointment’ containing the epidermal growth factor (EGF) as an over-the-counter drug for the first time in Korea. The epidermal growth factor helps to prevent scar formation by promoting covering of the wound site (re-epithelialization) and formation of proud flesh (proliferation of granulation tissue). However, the epidermal growth factor protein costs a lot of costs and efforts for production.